Ingermann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,884 for "Combination Bowling Lane Stripper and Dressing Apparatus", among other limitations, discloses a transfer device for transferring dressing oil from a reservoir to an applicator roller. This device includes a transfer roller which receives oil from the reservoir by means of a wick and then transfers the oil to an applicator roller. The transfer roller is driven by a chain drive between it and the drive rollers for moving the device down the bowling lane. The device includes pressure fingers which can be adjusted to vary the amount of oil transferred from the reservoir to the transfer roller so that different amounts of oil can be applied to different boards across the width of the bowling lane. However, for any given pressure across the transfer roller, the amount of oil applied from the transfer roller to the buffer roller is strictly a function of the speed of the application roller and can be varied only by varying the viscosity of the oil in the reservoir. Thus, the degree of control available with that device is limited.
Davis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,290 for "Bowling Lane Maintenance Machine" discloses an automatic machine for laying down a pattern of oil across the width of a bowling lane and along the length of the lane which is controlled and varied by the use of a series of independent controllable wick assemblies within a single reservoir which are individually moveable into and out of contact with a transfer roller. As with the previously described device, with any given pressure across the transfer roller, the amount of oil applied from the transfer roller to the buffer roller is strickly a function of the speed of the application roller and can be varied only by varying the viscosity of the oil in the reservoir. Thus, while application of oil to selected portions of the transfer roller can be controlled, the amount of oil can be modified only by changing the pressure of the individual wicks against the transfer roller.